Finally caved in and bought TMNT. I shopped around and it's pretty much $39.99 everywhere.

Here's my review, a little late :

I'm not a fan of the new cartoon. If I were going to base the TMNT cartoon on the original comic, I'd make it a bit darker, and truer to the book. This new version is a cross between our old cartoon turtles and said comic. I just don't like it.

That said, I bought TMNT cuz I was itchin' for some Turtles.

I have to say - it's well worth the $40. The graphics are pretty awesome. The gameplay is smooth. The cut scenes are mostly the actual cartoon - so what I haven't seen, got pretty much explained. The controls are basic, and easy - jump, hit, special hit, ninja stars. Pressing the hit more than once gives you combos - and it sure is fun to jump into a pile of mousers and pull a combo! Each turtle has his own special moves - Donatello's is especially fun - swinging the bo in full circle or using it to vault.

What I didn't like: it gets just like other action games, monotonous. Same guys over and over again a hundred times...zzz. You get six lives for a level - that has 5 or 6 sublevels - and then that's it. The game is saved at the level, but not the sublevels - so if you die at the boss stage, you've got to repeat all six sublevels again.

Also, when Turtles attack - they each have about 4 phrases - and you'll hear these so much you'll have them memorized by the end of the first level. And once again, as I'm finding with all these current games - the ending sucks. The bosses for level 4 and 5 are more tough than Shredder at the end - and sorry to spoil it - but when you beat him, that's it.

There's some extra stuff if you beat the game with each of the four Turtles, and so far i'm done with two...but i'm less inclined to finish it as it's getting so monotonous. Work in progress.

There are also some extras depending on what Turtle you're playing. If you play Raphael, you get some extra stuff with Casey Jones - you battle him and get some extra cartoon scenes.

So, I'ma give it 3 out 5 stars - it's a good game, and it'll do for a TMNT refresher - but it could have been GREAT. MOre combos, more story, more voice samples instead of the same 8 repeated over and over. Seems a bit rushed - maybe in order to keep up with the cartoon while it's so popular.